Dear editor
We note with great interest the work of Kötter and Niebuhr,Citation1 with regard to reducing examination-related stress in medical students through short-term coaching. We highly commend their efforts to provide an evidence base for techniques that have been suggested in the literature. We would however argue that the use of coaching such as wingwave® may perhaps be too impractical and expensive to be used on a regular basis, and that the long-term efficacy of the approach is unclear. We would encourage further work into other methods and would specifically welcome trials comparing these techniques to the coaching described by Kötter and Niebuhr.
Examples of the other methods include introduction of elective courses specializing in the teaching of coping strategies, such as breathing exercises, social coping skills, and elements of cognitive behavioral therapy. Not only would this aid in the reduction of stress related to examinations, but also this could equip future doctors with a mental framework that may help them deal with future stressful situations.Citation2 Evidence of their efficacy comes from the study of Pereira et al,Citation3 which looked at the benefits of these elective courses, with the further addition of reflective practices and psychoanalysis. They found that “67% reported less symptoms of stress at the end of the [elective] course”.Citation3
Furthermore, there has been a movement in recent years promoting the benefits of alternative self-care therapies.Citation2 Arguably, the most well known of these include “mindfulness”, “a cognitive style that facilitates non-judgemental awareness”Citation4 and allows users to notice symptoms of stress and anxiety much earlier than they normally would, that Slonim et alCitation5 found to have “the potential … to decrease medical student distress and enhance well-being”.
We look forward to seeing the response of the academic community, and hope sincerely that an effective solution may be found to this neglected problem.
Disclosure
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this communication.
References
- KötterTNiebuhrFResource-oriented coaching for reduction of examination-related stress in medical students: an exploratory randomized controlled trialAdv Med Educ Pract2016749750427601935
- DyrbyeLNThomasMRShanafeltTDMedical student distress: causes, consequences, and proposed solutionsMayo Clin Proc200580121613162216342655
- PereiraMADBarbosaMAde RezendeJCDamianoRFMedical student stress: an elective course as a possibility of helpBMC Res Notes2015843026358029
- KostanskiMHassedCMindfulness as a concept and a processAust Psychol20084311521
- SlonimJKienhuisMDi BenedettoMReeceJThe relationships among self-care, dispositional mindfulness, and psychological distress in medical studentsMed Educ Online2015202792426112354